How to Reuse Floral Gel

Floral gel, more commonly known as Wonder Water and Craft Water, is solid at room temperature and is most often used to hold silk flowers in place while creating the effect of water in the vase. The gel is clear, but you can tint it with food colouring to match your decor. To reuse floral gel, heat it to its liquid state, remove it from the vase and let it solidify again at room temperature.

Skill level:

Moderately Easy

Other People Are Reading

Things you need

Storage bowl

Microwave or heating element

Spoon or spatula

Wire cutters

Show MoreHide

Instructions

1

Pull the silk flowers from the container holding the used gel. If some are difficult to remove, cut the stems above the gel using wire cutters.

2

Place your container in your microwave for one to two minutes, depending on the amount of gel in the container. The gel should be completely liquefied. If there are metal stems in the gel from silk flower stems you cut, heat the container in a different way at first, such as in a low-heat oven for glass containers over a candle warmer for plastic containers. Heat the gel enough to soften it so you can remove any remaining stems, then continue heating in the microwave.

3

Pour the liquefied gel into a storage container or another vase. The liquid should look and pour like water.

4

Arrange new silk flowers in the liquid gel, and allow the arrangement to sit for at least 24 hours to harden. If you're storing the gel, wait at least 24 hours before putting a lid on the storage bowl, as the hot gel can cause condensation to form inside the bowl if it's closed. Condensation can reduce the lifespan of the gel.

Tips and warnings

Although it normally takes 24 hours for the reused gel to completely harden, it's solid enough after one hour to move the container without harming the arrangement. Placing the gel in a cool location can speed the hardening process.

Never leave arrangements containing floral gel in a hot car. Even a few minutes in such a hot, closed environment can cause the floral gel to begin melting.